More Murder Charges Laid in Danzig Shooting

Police crime tape on the side of Morningside Road, one day after the the shooting.

Police laid the first charge in the Danzig Street shooting three days after the event: on July 19 they charged Nahom Tsegazab, 19, with reckless discharge of a firearm. An ongoing investigation led to another arrest: earlier this month, Shaquan Mesquito, 18, was charged with two counts of first-degree murder, one count of attempted murder, and 23 counts of aggravated assault.

Today, police announced that the first man they arrested, Tsegazab, now faces additional charges: two counts of second-degree murder, one count of attempted murder, and 22 counts of aggravated assault. It appears they believe Tsegazab and Mesquito were two key figures in the gun fight—though they have not explained why Mesquito faces first-degree murder charges and Tsegazab second-degree charges.
Staff Inspector Greg McLane updated media on the latest developments this afternoon. He emphasized that “this investigation is far from over…we have reason to believe we will be making more arrests. We believe that there may be one or two more shooters.” McLane also reiterated the police’s plea for members of the public to come forward with any information they might have, and re-released composite sketches of two other men whose roles in the shooting they hope to clarify [PDF].

As they explained when they charged Mesquito, police believe the shooting at a neighbourhood block party stemmed from gang tensions. Mesquito, investigators believe, is a member of the Malvern Crew. It is alleged that Tsegazab (who himself was also hurt in the shootout) is “an associate of the Galloway Boys.” The two have “a longtime rivalry,” McLane said.

Killed at the party were Shyanne Charles, 14, from Toronto, and Joshua Yasay, 23, from Ajax. Both were bystanders. McLane could not identify the victim of the attempted murder, he explained, as that individual is a youth.